Indicating lamp



Oct. 5, 1943. c. P. WEST INDICATING LAMP Filed Feb. 26, 1941 INVENTORPatented Oct. 5, 1943 INDICATING LAMP Charles P. West, Forest Hills,Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, EastPittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania.

Application February 26, 1941, Serial No. 380,680

Claims.

My invention relates, generally, to indicating lamps and it hasreference, in particular, ,to a panel mounting indicating lamp unit.

Generally stated, it is an object of my invention to provide anindicating lamp unit for panel mounting which is of simple and ruggedconstruction and which may be economically manu factured and .installed.

More specifically, it is an object of my invention to provide anindicating lamp and resistor unit of the panel mounting type which is soconstructed that it may be readily mounted on panels of widely differentthickness, including both metal and slate panels.

A further object of my invention is to provide a switchboard indicatinglamp unit which may be mounted in an opening in the switchboard paneland which is readily adjustable to a relative variation in panelthickness.

Another object of my invention is to provide for detachably securing alens to a lamp receptacle.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide for securing a lampresistor about, or in end-to-end relation with, a lamp receptacle whichprojects through an opening in the panel to permit the use of one sizeof lamp receptacle with a wide range of panel thickness.

Still anotherobject of my invention is to provide for securing anindicating lamp resistor to an indicating lamp receptacle mounted in apanel opening so as to accommodate a relatively wide range of panelthickness and occupy only a minimum of space to the rear of the panel.

Other objects will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appearhereinafter.

In accordance with my invention, the panel mounting indicating lamp unitmay comprise a lamp receptacle comprising an elongated body portiondisposed to project through a panel opening and having a flange at oneend for positioning the body portion in the opening. The lamp resistor,which is used to reduce the voltage applied to the lamp, may be providedwith an axial opening sufliciently large to receive the,

. dicating lamp unit is mounted on a relatively thick panel so thatthere is insufficient space on ,the body portion of the receptacleprojecting therethrough to accommodate the resistor, it

maybe secured to the body portion of the renature and scope of myinvention, reference may be had to the following detailed description,together with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in section, of an indicating lamp unit embodying theprincipal features of my invention;

Fig. 2 is aside elevational view of the indicating lamp unit of Fig. 1illustrating an alternate method of securing the lamp resistor to thereceptacle; I

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view'taken along the line IIIIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line IVIV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the receptacle taken along the lineV-V of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectionalview of the receptacle taken along the lineVI-VI of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged front elevational view of the lens unit.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevational view partly in section, of thelens unit;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged rear elevational View,

partly in section, of the lens unit;

Fig. 10 is a rear elevational view of a resistor support member; and

reducing the voltage applied to the indicating lamp. As shown, theindicating lamp unit ID is disposed to be mounted on panels I6 and i!which are of greatly different thickness, and project through openings18 and I9 therein, respectively.

Referring to Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6, it may be seen that the lampreceptacle l2 may, for example, comprise an elongated body member orportion 20 of a suitable insulating material, such as a phenolic resin,hard rubber or the like, having a recess or opening 22 therein from oneend to receive the indicating lamp l3. Suitable means, such as theflanged face plate 24, may be provided about the opening to position thereceptacle against the face of the panel IS. The face plate 24 may besecured to the body lamp having an opening therethrough to receive thebody portion of the lamp, and means for positionin the resistor on thebody member.

4. An indicating lamp unit comprising, a lamp receptacle of insulatingmaterial having a flanged end portion and an elongated body portiondisposed to be inserted through an opening in a panel provided with acentral recess therein. and longitudinal grooves on the outer surfaceconnectin with the recess, resilient contact members to conduct currentto the lamp recessed within the grooves, a resistor for reducing thevoltage applied to the'lamp having an opening therethrough larger thanthe body portion of the receptacle to permit positioning the resistorabout the body portion when the unit is used with a relatively thinpanel, and means for mounting the resistor in end-to-end relation withthe body member when the unit is used with a relatively thick panel.

5. A panel mounting indicating lamp unit comprising, a lamp receptaclehaving a body portion with a central opening at one end to receive alamp and a flange about the opening to position i the receptacle in apanel opening, a pair of oppositely disposed longitudinal grooves on theouter surface of the body portion connecting with the central opening, aterminal member positioned at the other end of the body portion, anadditional terminal member positioned in one of the grooves, resilientcontact members connected to the terminal members recessed in thegrooves and projecting into the central opening to contact with the lampterminals, and a resistor disposed to be connected to one of theterminals having a central opening to receive the body portion of thereceptacle, said resistor and body portion being arranged so that theresistor may be positioned about the body portion when the receptacle isused with a relatively thin panel and may be positioned in substantiallyend on relation with the body portion when the receptacle is used with arelativel thick panel.

6. An indicating lamp comprising, a body member of insulating materialhaving an opening therein from one end for a lamp and a flange integralwith said end of the body member, a terminal member at the other end, apair of opposed longitudinal surface grooves on the body memberconnecting with the opening, an additional terminal member recessedwithin one of the grooves, contact members connected to the terminalmembers positioned within the grooves and extending into the opening,means to secure the body member to a panel positioned about the bodymember, a lamp resistor, and means for mounting the lamp resistor on theend terminal member in end-to-end relation with the body member.

'7. An indicating lamp receptacle comprising, an elongated body memberhaving a substantially continuous threaded outer surface for receivingmeans whereby the receptacle may be mounted on a relatively thick panelor a thin one at one end to receive a lamp, a. flanged face plateintegral with the body member at said one end, oppositely disposedlongitudinal grooves on the outer surface of the body connecting withthe said opening, a terminal member formed in the body member at theother end, an additional terminal member positioned in one of thegrooves adjacent said other end, and resilient contact members connectedto the terminal members recessed within the grooves and extending intothe opening.

8. A universal indicating lamp for use with relatively thick orrelatively thin panels having openings therein comprising, an elongatedlamp receptacle positionable in the opening having a threaded bodyportion sufliciently long to project beyond a relatively thick panelwith a flange at one end to position the receptacle relative to thefront of the panel and a terminal member at the other end, a tubularresistor for connection to a lamp in the receptacle having an openingtherethrough of sufiicient size to receive the body portion, means tosupport the resistor on the terminal member when the unit is used with arelatively thick panel, and means for mounting the resistor on the bodymember between the panel and the terminal member when the unit is usedwith a relatively thin panel.

9. An indicating lamp unit for mounting in an opening in a relativelythick or a relatively thin panel comprising, an elongated lampreceptacle of insulating material having a threaded body portion ofsuificient length to project through the opening in a relatively thickpanel with means at one end to position the unit relative to the panelfront, means positionable on the body portion intermediate the ends tosecure the body portion in the panel opening, and a tubular resistorhaving an opening therethrough sufliciently large to receive the bodyportion, said body portion being arranged to support the resistor insubstantially end to end relation at the rear of the panel when the bodyportion is mounted on a relatively thick panel and intermediate the endsof the body portion when it is mounted on a relatively thin panel.

10. An indicating lamp for use with relatively thick panels orrelatively thin panels having openings therethrough comprising, anelongated lamp receptacle having a body portion of sumcient length toproject through the opening in a relatively thick panel with means atone end to position the body portion relative to the front of the paneland a terminal member at the other end, means positionable on the bodyportion intermediate the ends to secure the body portion in the panelopening, and a resistor for connection in series with a lamp in thereceptacle arranged to be mounted in substantially end to end relationwith the body portion on the terminal member when the body portion isused with a relatively thick panel, said resistor having an openingtherethrough for receiving the body portion and being of such a lengthas to be positionable on the body portion between the panel and theterminal member when the body portion is used with a relatively thinpanel.

CHARLES P. WEST.

